Published: 3 hours ago

Bulawayo residents are grappling with mounting piles of uncollected refuse in the city centre and residential suburbs, as the local authority battles to bring 15 refuse compactors back into service amid fears of a looming public health crisis.

For the past three weeks, garbage has gone uncollected in several suburbs, forcing desperate residents to burn waste in an attempt to contain the stench and prevent further accumulation. Authorities, however, have warned that burning refuse is illegal and could lead to prosecution under environmental laws.

Bulawayo Town Clerk Christopher Dube has pleaded for patience, assuring residents that efforts are underway to restore normal refuse collection services.

"The City of Bulawayo would like to advise residents and stakeholders of refuse collection challenges for the past few weeks. This is due to mechanical problems affecting our compactors," Dube said in a public notice.

"The city has been operating with four compactors which are currently undergoing servicing, while 11 compactors are under repair. Areas that have not been serviced for the past three weeks will be attended to in the coming week. The City of Bulawayo sincerely apologises for any inconvenience caused," he added.

In an interview with Zimpapers, the City's Director of Health Services, Dr Edwin Mzingwane, said the council was working tirelessly to ensure the situation is normalised within the next two weeks.

"We have four new compactors that were due for service based on the mileage they have covered since joining our fleet," Dr Mzingwane said. "The other 11 compactors are grounded and undergoing repairs. We are hoping there won't be procurement delays in acquiring spare parts."

He also warned residents against burning refuse, describing the practice as dangerous and unlawful.

"It's a criminal offence under the EMA Act to burn refuse, and we urge residents to desist from that practice," he said. "All things being equal, we expect the uncollected refuse to be cleared in the next two weeks."

Dr Mzingwane urged residents to separate their waste to make collection more efficient once operations resume. "We encourage residents to separate leftover food from recyclable items such as plastic bottles and cardboard boxes to make our teams' work easier," he said.

In April this year, the council invested over US$600 000 to purchase four refuse compactors, each costing about US$150 600, in a bid to strengthen refuse collection capacity. The new vehicles brought the city's total fleet to 15 compactors, although officials say at least 30 are needed to adequately cover all areas.

However, with most trucks currently grounded, uncollected garbage continues to pile up across Bulawayo, creating unsanitary conditions.

At Renkini Bus Terminus, vendors complained of unbearable stench from decomposing waste. "Refuse has not been collected since 20 October. The smell from rotting waste makes it difficult to work here," said vendor Eunice Moyo. "We fear an outbreak of cholera, especially since this terminus serves travellers from across Matabeleland."

Another vendor, Promise Ncube, said they have resorted to piling waste in one corner of the terminus. "We appeal to council to collect waste at least twice a week. With so many people using this place, garbage piles up very fast," he said.

In Pumula East, residents have stopped taking out their bins altogether. "It's better to keep our refuse in plastic bags inside our yards until council resumes collection," said one resident.

The situation is equally dire in the city centre's market area, where rotting produce and plastic waste have accumulated, worsened by recent rains that have turned the garbage into a breeding ground for pests. Vendors fear the waste could soon clog storm drains, leading to flooding and further sanitation problems.

Health experts have warned that continued delays in refuse collection could trigger outbreaks of diseases such as cholera and typhoid, urging the city to expedite repairs and implement a sustainable waste management plan.
- The Chronicle